Alex Hershey Exploration Timeline

  • Astrolabe Invention
    Jan 1, 1390

    Astrolabe Invention

    Geoffery Chaucer writes a book describing how to make an Astrolabe. This book was caled Treatise of the Astrolabe, and consisted of over 100 pages. This book is written in very old english, and was rewritten by oxford scholars so that it could be read by today's citizens.
  • Ships improved
    Jan 1, 1400

    Ships improved

    Major improvements made to ships, making them more effective. Major changes were piloted by the Iberians, and lasted until 1600. These changes helped traders connect to the rest of the world.
  • Most accurate world map rediscovered
    Jan 1, 1406

    Most accurate world map rediscovered

    Map make columbus think he can reach Asia from Europe by sailing west.
  • Prince Henry the Navigator creates Navigation School
    Jan 1, 1418

    Prince Henry the Navigator creates Navigation School

    Located in St.Vincent, Portugal, It taught the main useful techniques of navagation. This school taught what was widely accepted by the world to be correct geography, but we now know, that this is not the case. The school taught caiptainship, and naval skills as well
  • Improvement of navigation by stars
    Jan 1, 1465

    Improvement of navigation by stars

    Improvement of navigation by stars. Sailors began using sextnts to navigate. They found their locations by calculating angles of different celestial objects, as opposed to others, and the ocean,the sun, and the moon.
  • Columbus Discovers West Indies
    Jan 1, 1492

    Columbus Discovers West Indies

    He discovers changes in compas direction with changes in longitude. This added to the spherical earth theory.
  • Amerigo Vespucci decides America is not part of Asia
    Jan 1, 1499

    Amerigo Vespucci decides America is not part of Asia

    He decides so after exploring South America, and finding it to be completely disconected. This caused a huge stir, because previously to this time, it was not known that there were any continants besides Europe, and Asia.
  • A New Map of the Wolrd uses the word America
    Jan 1, 1507

    A New Map of the Wolrd uses the word America

    A New Map of the Wolrd uses the word America for the first time. It was named after Amerigo Vespucci, because he was the first European to decide that it is not part of Asia.
  • Balboa crosses the Isthmus of Panama, and discovers the Pacific Ocean
    Nov 7, 1513

    Balboa crosses the Isthmus of Panama, and discovers the Pacific Ocean

    Balboa crosses the Isthmus of Panama, and discovers the Pacific Ocean. They did not realize that this was the same ocean that bordered Asia. This was the first European reach of it from the New World.
  • Galileo Builds the first functioning Telescope

    Galileo Builds the first functioning Telescope

    Galileo creates the world's first functioning telescope using lenses, and a mirror, and he uses it to locate stars, and track thir movements. This improves world wide exploration and trade because people now have a more accurate astronomical map to circumnavigate with.